


The Friend from Ba Sing Se

by Kate_the_fandom_writer



Category: Avatar: The Last Airbender
Genre: Ba Sing Se, Canon Era, Canon Related, Canon Rewrite, Episode: s02e15 Tales of Ba Sing Se, Fire Nation (Avatar), Happy Ending, Iroh (Avatar) is a Good Uncle, Iroh (Avatar) loves Tea, Male-Female Friendship, Mild Angst, Protective Zuko (Avatar), Tea, The Jasmine Dragon (Avatar), Uncle Iroh makes the best tea I don't make the rules, Zuko is an Awkward Turtleduck
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-06-18
Updated: 2020-07-05
Packaged: 2021-03-04 05:33:31
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 5,675
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24788533
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Kate_the_fandom_writer/pseuds/Kate_the_fandom_writer
Summary: While living undercover in Ba Sing Se, Zuko finds something he never thought he could have: a true friend. He meets Jin, a local girl who just wants to get to know him. But when, lead by Azula, the Fire Nation captures Ba Sing Se, Zuko feels like he betrayed his first friend and strives to make things right once the city has once again been freed.
Relationships: Iroh & Zuko (Avatar), Jin & Zuko (Avatar)
Comments: 18
Kudos: 176





	1. The Tea Shop

**Author's Note:**

> So all I want is a little happiness for Zuko so even though there's angst (sorry about that) there is some fluffy friendship moments I hope makes it better. And look! I even brought a turtleduck! *Slowly raises a baby turtleduck into view* also, this first chapter is a lot of retelling of Zuko's part of the 'Tales of Ba Sing Se' episode so I hope you don't mind. it'll diverge more in the next chapters, I promise!

Zuko hated to admit it (so he didn’t, not out loud), but he didn’t mind working alongside his uncle in the tea shop. It had only been a week since they had arrived in Ba Sing Se under the guise of being refugees, and Zuko and Iroh had already started making a name for themselves by working at the Pao Family Tea shop. Although it was located within the lower ring of the city, Zuko was surprised to find it a peaceful life, even though it was nothing like what he was used to.

The day had started out normally enough, with the ebb and flow of customers who praise Iroh’s tea left and right. It was about midday when Zuko approached Iroh, who was replacing some cups in the back of the shop.

“Uncle,” Zuko started, trying to keep his voice down. “One of the customers is onto us. Don’t look now, but there’s a girl at the back who knows we’re fire nation.”

Iroh turned around to glance at the back of the shop, where a young woman sat at a table quietly sipping her tea. But before he could reassure Zuko she wasn’t there to rat them out, Zuko grabbed his arm and turned him back around.

“Didn’t I say not to look?”

Iroh looked at his nephew for a few moments. Did he really not understand what was really going on? He smiled. 

“You’re right Zuko, I’ve seen her come here often over the past couple days. I don’t, however, think it’s because she knows where we’re from.” He continued to put cups away. “Seems to me like she might have a little crush on you.”

Zuko opened his mouth to retort when a soft voice startled him from behind.

“Thank you for the tea.” Zuko turned to find that it was the girl from the back of the shop. He takes her offered coins, and turns back around. He thought she had left, but that turned out to be wrong when a few moments later, she asked, “What’s your name?”

He faced her again. “My name’s Lee. My uncle and I moved here not too long ago.”

“Nice to meet you, Lee. My name is Jin and I- I was wondering if you’d want to go out sometime? Or, you know, I could show you around since you’re new. If you’d want.”

Zuko stood there, shocked. He didn’t know how to respond. He knew that logically she most likely didn’t know who they were, but this was certainly not what he had expected. Before he could even try to formulate a response, Iroh decided to butt into the conversation. 

“He’d love to!” Zuko glanced at his uncle, who seemed way too happy about this. 

Jin’s face lit up. “Great! I’ll meet you outside of the shop at sundown.”

With that, she turned and left the shop. Zuko rounded on his uncle.

“Why did you do that?”

Iroh shrugged, a smile still plastered across his face. “I just think you need to spend time with someone your own age. Have fun! Relax! Enjoy being young!”

Zuko sighed, but didn’t try to talk his uncle out of it. Iroh was too stubborn to let Zuko wiggle his way out of this.

Sundown came, and after suffering through ten minutes of Iroh wrestling with him to do his hair, Zuko left the tea shop, more excited to escape his uncle than anything else. A few moments later, Jin rounded the corner.

“Evening, Lee, how are you?” She then saw his hair and giggled. “Nice hair.” She reached up a hand and ruffled it. 

“It took uncle ten minutes to do my hair,” he muttered, not letting on that it was mostly his fault that it took that long. 

“Shall we head to dinner? I know a good place not too far from here if you’re interested.”

Zuko nodded, so together they made their way to a small restaurant. After they had ordered and received their food, Jin tried to coax a quiet Zuko into conversation.

“So. You and your uncle are new. Where did you come from?”

Zuko was quiet for a moment before responding. “We’re- from far away. We’ve been traveling around mostly. All over the place.”

“Why were you traveling so much?”

“We were… part of this traveling circus...” Zuko said, saying the first mildly plausible excuse that came to mind.

“Really? What did you do? Wait lemme guess. You juggled!”

Zuko forced a smile. “... yes. I juggled.”

Jin giggled happily. “Ooh please show me!” With that, she shoved a few random items from around the table into Zukos’ arms. He gulped before giving it his best shot. It didn’t work. After fumbling with the items for a few hectic seconds, they all came crashing around him. As Jin giggled again, he shot her a sheepish smile. 

“It’s been a while since I last practiced.”

After that, the once tense atmosphere became lighthearted. They started talking a bit more and, though Zuko stayed away from the subject of his past, he felt like they were truly starting to become friends.

***

When dinner was over, Jin looked up at Zuko. “If you don’t feel like going home quite yet, I’d like to show you one of my favorite spots in the city.”  
Zuko agreed, and was pulled from his seat. And as they made their way through the darkened streets of Ba Sing Se, he could feel her excitement as they neared their destination.

“I can’t wait for you to see the fire light fountain,” she said with a bright smile on her face. “The lights reflect off of the water in the fountain in the most beautiful way!”

At that, Zuko couldn’t help but allow his own smile to form. 

They reached an open space where a fountain sat surrounded by dark torches. Jin’s face fell. 

“I can’t believe it! They aren’t lit!” 

Zuko frowned. Though this evening may have started out as a bother to him, he found himself feeling sorry for his new found friend. Then, an idea struck him. 

“Close your eyes. And don’t peak.”

Once he was sure her eyes were closed and that no one was around to see, he quickly used his fire bending to light the lamps. 

“Ok, you can look.”

She uncovered her eyes and gasped. She had been right before when she said it was a beautiful sight; each torch looked like a brilliant star when reflected off the water, casting the whole courtyard in an almost magical glow. 

“How did they light? What did you?” she asked, turning to Zuko. He couldn’t suppress his smirk, but didn’t say anything. Jin smiled, something close to understanding shining in her eyes. She comes to stand by Zuko, and the two just gaze at the fountain in silence for a while. It was Jin who finally broke the silence. 

Not breaking her gaze from the fountain, she said, “You’re not really from a traveling circus, are you?”

Zuko froze. “What are you talking about? I told you…”

Jin cut him off. “Lee, I- I figured it out. I know.”

Zuko turned his head swiftly to look at her, a feeling of dread tying his stomach into knots. 

“Y-you do?” he said. It was all he could force himself to say. Jin nodded, turning to meet his gaze. “I do. I know you’re a fire bender.”

Zuko paled. He knew it was too good to be true, someone as kind as her accepting someone like him as a friend. He mentally cursed his uncle for forcing him to come on this date and immediately started to plan how fast they could make it out of Ba Sing Se before the guards were alerted to his presence. Something of his thoughts must have shown on his face, because Jin placed a comforting hand on his arm.

“Lee, it’s ok. I don’t mind.”

Zuko looked at her hand, which was still resting on his arm.

“You don’t?”

She shook her head. “And I promise not to tell anyone.”

Hope shot through Zuko. Maybe they wouldn’t have to run after all. “You won’t?”

Jin grinned. “It’s not my place to say anything. Besides, you’re still the nice boy who serves some of the best tea in Ba Sing Se. I wouldn’t want to be the reason you left.”

Zuko sighed in relief. He was still safe. His uncle could still spend his days making tea. It was all going to be ok. “Thank you.”

Silence fell between them once more. 

“You don’t have to say anything if you don’t want to,” Jin began, breaking the quiet once more. “But, why did you leave?”

Zuko thought for a moment. “I was… banished. My father thought I was disrespectful to him and… and our nation, so… I left. Never went back.” Zuko couldn’t make eye contact with Jin as he said it, subconsciously running a hand over his scar. If she noticed this, she didn’t say anything. 

“Oh Lee, I’m so sorry.”

Zuko nodded, not able to say anything. 

“I hope this doesn’t come off as too strange seeing as we’ve only just met, but I hope you’re able to make Ba Sing Se your home. It’s a nice city and… I want the chance to be your friend.”

With that, she wrapped her arms around Zuko and gave him a hug. At first, he was too stunned to do anything. He finally responded, returning the hug. For a while, all they could do was stand and stare at the lights dancing off the water.

***

It was late when he returned to the apartment where he and his uncle lived. Iroh quickly went back to caring for his plants, not wanting to seem like he had been trying to catch a glimpse of his nephew on his night out. 

“How was your date, Prince Zuko?” he asked as Zuko closed the door and crossed to the bedroom. 

“It was nice,” he replied after a moment, closing the door behind him.

Iroh smiled to himself before finishing up for the night.


	2. Zuko's Choice

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ok so. This one is most likely a rollercoaster ride of feels, so... *brings two more turtle ducks* I hope you enjoy it :) we got some lovely friendship moments so... that outweighs the angst, right?

Iroh stood proudly beside Zuko inside his tea shop, looking around at all he had accomplished since coming to Ba Sing Se. 

“Who would have thought that when we came to this city as refugees, that I’d end up owning my own tea shop?” Iroh said, glancing first at the shop and then at his nephew. “Follow your passions, Zuko, and life will reward you.”

A warm smile filled Zuko’s face. “Congratulations, uncle.”

Iroh returned the smile, bowing his head slightly. “I’m very grateful.”

“You deserve it. The Jasmine Dragon will be the greatest tea shop in the city.” At this, Iroh’s grin became even wider, if that was possible. Between owning his own tea shop and seeing his nephew so happy, he couldn’t believe his good fortune. As they fell into a contented silence while observing the shop, a friendly face walked in. 

“Hey Lee, nice place you got here.”

Zuko smiled at Jin as she approached. “Thanks. Uncle has worked hard for it.”

Jin turned her bright smile to Iroh. “Well then, congratulations! It’s definitely well deserved. You are the best tea maker in all of Ba Sing Se after all.”

“Thank you child,” Iroh said happily. 

“Can I do anything for you?” Zuko asked as Iroh turned to the counter behind him to arrange some tea cups. 

Jin smiled. “I was wondering if you’d want to go check out the zoo? Someone recently upgraded all the animal enclosures and I hear it’s quite amazing.”

Zuko grinned at the idea. “Yeah, that sounds like a lot of fun. Are you good to go tonight after I get done here?”

Before Jin could answer, Iroh, being the nosey yet supportive uncle that he is, jumped in just as he had the first time and said, “You don’t have to wait that long. If Lee helps me with the last of the customers now, I’ll let him go early.”

“Ooh, thank you so much!” Jin said, clapping her hands. Then, turning to Zuko, said, “If you’re here to finish with the last of the customers, I’ll take a nice cup of ginseng tea please.”

“You got it,” Zuko said before leading her to a table. Then, turning to his uncle, he said, “Now let’s make these people some tea.”

“Yes! Let’s make some tea!”

Zuko and Jin walked side by side through the zoo, enjoying spending time together in the afternoon sun. The sounds of people laughing mixed with the animals filled the air, creating a cheerful atmosphere. 

“I haven’t been to the zoo in a long time,” Jin said as they watched one of the rabaroo babies chasing another around the enclosure. “It’s never been like this. Everything seems so… happy.” 

She turned to look at Zuko, who had a soft smile on his face. “Yeah,” he agreed. “It’s something. I never got to see anything like this at home.”

They continued on. As they were walking, a loud commotion from the hog monkey enclosure drew their attention. What they saw had them draw short. One of the hog monkeys had climbed up as close to the top of its enclosure as it could, which wasn’t enough to escape but was, unfortunately, enough to harass a poor cabbage merchant who had set up his booth at the zoo in hopes of doing some business. 

“No! Let go of my cabbages! You haven’t paid for them!” he cried. The hog monkey just screeched before jumping back into its enclosure, a few stolen cabbages in its arms. 

Zuko and Jin joined in the laughter of the surrounding crowd. They walked a little ways beyond the hog monkeys and came to rest at a rather deserted enclosure. Staring into it, they saw half a dozen turtle seals swimming playfully about. At the sight, Zuko smiled. 

“They are cute, aren’t they?” Jin asked, noticing Zuko’s smile. He nodded.

“I’ve never really seen these before. They sort of remind me of the turtle ducks we have back home. My mother and I used…” his voice caught a little at the memory. He took a deep breath, gaze not leaving the turtle seals. “We used to feed the turtle ducks down at a nearby pond. I miss it.”

Jin placed a comforting hand on his arm. Unlike the first time she had done it all those weeks ago, he wasn't shocked at the gesture. “I would have loved to see them.”

He met her eyes, and smiled. 

The sun had set, and, after making sure Jin made it home in safety, Zuko walked back to the Jasmine Dragon. It was closing up, and Iroh had no sooner seen Zuko before he handed him a broom. 

“Perfect timing, nephew,” he said, humor in his voice. “I could use some help closing up.”

They worked together in tandem, cleaning up the remaining mess of the day. Just as they were nearing completion, a messenger entered the shop. Handing Iroh a scroll, he said, “A message from the royal palace.”

After he had left, Iroh opened the scroll. Zuko put down his broom. 

“I- I can’t believe it!” he said, eyes bright as he looked up into Zuko’s face. 

“What is it, uncle?”

"We have been invited to serve tea to the Earth King!”

With that, Iroh ran deep into the shop in order to prepare.

Zuko had set up the table in the throne room just how Iroh had taught him, and sat patiently by his uncle’s side as he poured the tea. Once he too had sat down, they stared at the empty throne for a few moments. 

“What’s taking so long?” Zuko asked, glancing at his uncle. 

“Maybe… the Earth King overslept?”

At that, the side doors to the room opened, and a line of warriors entered the room, surrounding the two men. 

“Something’s not right,” Zuko muttered, eyeing the newcomers. 

“It’s tea time,” the last to enter the room said in a high, haughty voice. Zuko shot up. 

“Azula.”

“Have you met the Dai Li?” She said, a smirk on her face. Iroh calmly bent down to grab his tea.

“Have I ever told you how I got my nickname ‘Dragon of the West’?” He asked, slowly raising the cup.

“I’m not in the mood for one of your anecdotes, uncle,” Azula said with a dismissive wave of her hand.

A small smirk flashed across Iroh’s face. “It’s more of a demonstration, really.”

Realisation flashed across Zuko’s face, leaving him very few seconds to jump behind his uncle’s back before, after a long draft of tea, fire came spewing out of his mouth. They burst out of the room and began running through the palace, Dai Li hot on their tail.  
Dodging the volleys of rock gloves sent hurtling at them, they managed to bust a hole in a wall, which Iroh leapt out of. He looked back up, expecting to see his nephew follow. Zuko remained where he was.

“Come on, you can make it!” he called.

“No,” Zuko said, taking a step back. “I’m tired of running. I’m going to face Azula.”

Iroh didn’t stop running until he had made it back to the Jasmine Dragon. He knew his niece had captured Zuko, and he was determined to rescue him. As he grabbed a few things from his shop, he heard a small voice behind him. 

“Mushi? What’s wrong? Where’s Lee?”

He turned quickly around to see Jin standing in the door of the shop, a worried look on her face. Iroh’s eyes widened and he moved quickly to guide her fully into the shop. After looking quickly both ways to make sure he wasn’t followed, he closed the door.

“My nephew has been captured.”

“Captured?” fear was now prominent in Jin’s eyes. “By who? What has he done?”

“He’s done nothing. Fire Nation has somehow infiltrated the city, and have caught Z- Lee. But don’t worry,” he said, placing a comforting hand on her shoulder. “I’m going to save him.”

Her worried eyes meet Iroh’s. “Really?”

He nods. He then turns to finish his last minute tasks before running off to try and get Zuko some help. 

“I want to help.” Iroh froze. He turned to see a look of resolve on Jin’s face. “I want to help make sure my friend is safe.” 

Iroh’s eyes soften at this, but he shakes his head. “It’s too dangerous, and I don’t want you to get hurt.” 

Jin opens her mouth to argue but Iroh cuts her off.

“If my nephew has been captured by Fire Nation soldiers, that most likely means more are here or on their way. Ba Sing Se is no longer safe. I need you to find somewhere safe, and hide.” An idea crossed his mind, and he quickly pulled out a lotus tile. “Take this. If you go to the first tea shop I worked at and show this to the owner, he’ll take you somewhere safe. If I can, Lee and I will soon join you.”

Jin takes the tile and nods. She quickly turns and runs to the door of the shop. Before she left, she turned towards Iroh again. 

“Please be safe.”

With a nod from him, she left the tea shop, leaving Iroh alone.

Zuko was shoved into the prison tunnels with little ceremony. As he hurtled down, he had a few moments to reflect on how his confrontation with his sister was… less than successful. He soon hit the ground with a hard thud. He barely had time to recover from the fall before he heard his name. 

“Zuko?”

He looked up and was greeted by the water tribe girl he had seen traveling with the Avatar. Katara, he thought her name was. 

“Why did they throw you in here?” she said angrily, pacing back and forth behind Zuko. “Oh wait, lemme guess. It’s a trap. So that when Aang shows up to help me, you’ll finally have him in your little fire nation clutches.”

Zuko barely looked at her before looking back at the ground. He was too consumed with worry to bother much with anything else. If Azula was in Ba Sing Se, it meant that the city was no longer safe. His uncle and all he had worked to build was in jeopardy. His one true friend was in danger. He paled at the thought. Would Jin be alright? He had to hope so; it was all he could do. 

He wasn’t sure how much time had passed, nor at what point the small talk he and Katara had exchanged stopped, when a rumbling sound started. He stood up quickly, facing the source of the noise. The wall burst open. The dust had barely settled when Iroh practically bowled Zuko over, engulfing him in a huge hug. 

“Uncle! Are you alright?” Zuko asked, quickly looking his uncle over to make sure he had no injuries. 

“I’m fine, but we need to hurry and get you out of here! Who knows what your sister has planned for us-” he was cut off as spires of rocks surged up around him, rendering him trapped. Zuko whirled around to come face to face with his sister once again.

“I expected this sort of treachery from uncle, settling to work in a tea shop within the city you couldn’t seize. But Zuko. You’re a lot of things, but you are not a traitor. Are you?”

Zuko glared at Azula. “Release him now!”

“It’s not too late, Zuko. You can still redeem yourself. 

Zuko paused, conflicted. On the one hand, there was the honor he craved to regain, the pride of his father, the companionship of people long left behind in his exile. On the other hand, his loving uncle who had always been there for him, a life of peace, no matter how fleeting, and the tender gaze and light laugh of his first true friend. At the thought of Jin, he paled. Whatever happened, he couldn’t let Azula find her and take away yet another piece of his happiness. 

“I need you, Zuko. I’ve plotted every move of this glorious day in Fire Nation history, and the only way we win is together.”

At this, Iroh cut in. “Zuko, I’m begging you. Look into your heart, and see what it is you truly want. Please, I know you can be so much more than your father ever was.”

Zuko closed his eyes. There was only one way in his mind to assure the survival of his best friend. Though it pained him to do so, he looked at Azula and nodded. As she smirked in triumph, Zuko only hopped that he could one day earn back the trust that he broke with the uncle who never doubted him.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So I realised while editing this chapter that Aang sort of... isn't there? Oops. Like... in my head I imagined And helped Iroh like in the show, I just neglected to add that because I was focused on Zuko (as he is... sort of... this fic's main focus. Hope you understand! On to the last chapter!


	3. Reunion

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry this took a bit to post, but I wasn't sure how to start this chapter. I hope you all like it, and I thank you for all the support throughout the writing of this story. Also. This chapter takes place after a little later than where the last chapter ends, just a heads up. Now, without further ado, time to go see Fire Lord Zuko!

Life had seemed to pass at double speed ever since Zuko made the fateful decision to desert the Fire Nation in order to aid the Avatar. Training Aang, fighting Azula, and watching his father fall all seemed to happen in a matter of moments. It wasn’t really until his coronation when he was able to wrap his head around all that had happened. 

He was nervously approaching the doors that would lead him to face his people when he noticed Aang waiting for him. He took a deep breath and addressed the Avatar.

“I can’t believe that a year ago, my purpose in life was hunting you down.” He looked at his shoes. Even after all they had been through together these last few weeks, Zuko still found it hard to meet Aang’s gaze. “And now…” he trailed off, not sure he should finish his thought. Aang looked up at him and smiled.

“And now we’re friends,” he said, finishing Zuko’s sentence. 

Zuko couldn’t hide the soft grin that spread across his face at this.“Yeah, we're friends.” 

Aang stood up. “I can’t believe that a year ago I was still frozen in a block of ice. The world is so different now.”

“And it’s going to be even more different,” Zuko replied, walking over and placing a hand on Aang’s shoulder. “We’ll rebuild it together.”

With that, Aang pulled him into a hug. Zuko smiled as he returned the hug, still a little incredulous that Aang could ever consider him a friend. He would be forever grateful that he did. They pulled apart, and Zuko led the way out the door to the top of the steps of the palace where he was able to look out over the gathered crowd of people. 

As people started to notice him, they started to cheer. Soon, almost the entire crowd was calling out to greet Zuko, their fire Lord. He held up a hand.

“Please,” he began as the noise started to fade but not quite quiet. “The real hero is the Avatar.”

At that, he stood aside to let Aang walk out and join him. The cheers redoubled, making it near impossible to hear anything else. For a moment, the two stood in silence side by side, matching smiles on their faces. Then, Zuko cleared his throat and the crowd finally fell silent. 

“Today, this war is finally over.”

The crowd began to cheer again, thumping eachother on the back and waving their hands in the air with barely contained joy. There wasn’t a soul amongst the crowd that wasn’t grinning from ear to ear. 

“I promised my uncle that I’d restore the honor of the Fire Nation, and I will. The road ahead of us is challenging. A hundred years of fighting has left the world scarred and divided.” At this, he paused for a split second to take a breath. He looked over at Aang, who smiled encouragingly. He smiled back. “But with the Avatar’s help, we can get it back on the right path, and begin a new era of love and peace.” 

He then knelt down, and gazed at the crowd as the Fire Sage approached from behind, royal headdress in hand. As he did so, his eyes passed over friends. Family. All smiling up at him and all his coronation represented. Then, his eyes landed on one specific person and his heart nearly stopped. For right as the Sage raised his hands, Zuko locked eyes with Jin. 

Zuko didn’t have long to comprehend the grin she directed at him before the sage yelled “All hail Fire Lord Zuko!” and placed the royal headdress in his hair. He stood up to deafening cheers. Still in shock from having seen his first close friend for the first time as Zuko, he wasn’t quite sure how he managed to make it to the top of the stairs. He barely remembered Aang, and turned around just in time to gesture to his friend to follow. Together, they stood at the top of the stairs and smiled down at the people, who were excited to finally see an era of peace begin.

Zuko weaved through the crowd, Aang close on his heels. 

“Why are you running around like a madman at your own coronation celebration?” Aang asked, trying not to trip on the many partygoers in his quest to keep up with Zuko.

“I saw someone I know,” was all the response he gave. Aang huffed in mild annoyance but said nothing else. 

After what seemed like hours of searching but was in reality only about five minutes, he found her. Standing in a less populated corner of the room, laughing at something his uncle said, was Jin. 

His stomach twisted in nerves. He didn’t know what to do now that he found her. What could he say to the girl who thought he was someone else entirely? He hadn't mustered the courage to tell her when he had the chance. And now that he couldn’t avoid the obvious lie he had told her, he wasn’t sure how to proceed. Aang realized too late that Zuko had stopped moving, and barreled into him. 

It must have been quite the sight: the powerful Avatar bringing the newly crowned Fire Lord to the ground. Those in the immediate vicinity hurried to help them up, apologizing as if it was they who knocked them over. Zuko waved their apologies away, thanked them for their help, and hurriedly tried to straighten his robes. He heard an all to familiar giggle, causing him to still. Slowly, he looked up and once again made eye contact with Jin. 

Aang, as oblivious as ever, turned to Zuko and said in a half joking tone, “give a guy a heads up if you plan on stopping in the middle of the road, why don’t ya?” When Zuko didn’t respond, he followed his line of sight and immediately realised why. 

“Ooh, sorry. I’ll, uh- I’ll just leave now.” And with that, Aang not so subtly snuck away. Zuko still hadn’t moved. It wasn’t as though he didn’t try, it was just as if he was frozen to the spot. Jin seemed to realise this, so it was she who approached Zuko.

“Hey Lee,” she said, a smirk on her face. Zuko blushed.

“Look, about that… I’m so sorry-”

She cut him off. “Please, save it. I forgive you.”

Zuko opened and closed his mouth a few times, too stunned to say anything. Iroh, who Jin had been talking to moments before and who had seen the interaction up until this point decided that, Fire Lord or no, his nephew needed his help yet again, a slight nudge to get the conversation started.

“Why don’t you two go talk on the balcony? There will be less people around and it'll be a bit quieter.”

“That’s a good idea,” Jin said cheerily, and grabbed Zuko’s arm and pulled him after her. After they left the buzz of the main party, Zuko finally found his voice. 

“You forgive me?” 

She nodded. 

“You forgive me.”

“Has being made Fire Lord also made you hard of hearing? Yes, I forgive you!” Jin laughed, enjoying Zuko’s confusion a bit too much. 

“But why?”

This took her by surprise. “Why shouldn’t I have forgiven you?”

“I lied to you! After you had been nothing but nice to me, after you accepted where I was from, I still never told you who I was. I was too afraid that you-” his voice broke but he kept going, determined to finish his thought. “That you’d be scared of me. That you would look at me, and only be able to see the horrors of the Fire Nation.”

He hadn’t realized that he was crying until Jin reached up and gently wiped the tears off of his cheeks. She tilted his head so they were making eye contact before speaking.

“Zuko, I understand. It didn’t take me long after I went into hiding to realize who you really were. I tried to be mad at you, believe me, I did.” Zuko smiled briefly at this. “But, I couldn’t. I looked at you, and saw the boy who helped brew the best tea in the city. I saw the boy who lit a whole courtyard of torches just to see me smile. I couldn’t just push that all away. And when I heard the news that the war was over and you were to be Fire Lord, I knew for sure that I couldn’t be mad at you.”

Zuko looked deep into her eyes, trying to make sure she wasn’t just saying this because of his new found position. She caught on really fast, and couldn’t hold back a laugh.

“For crying out loud, Zuko! I just gave you a heartfelt speech about why I forgive you, and you still beat yourself up!”

Zuko chucked ruefully, absentmindedly reaching up to rub his scar. “Sorry, force of habit.” 

Jin smiled. “Well, if you don’t accept the fact that I forgive you, Fire Lord or no, I’ll drag you back to Ba Sing Se and throw you into the Hog Monkey exhibit at the zoo.”

Zuko started to laugh. “Ok, I believe you. Though I don’t know how I’ll ever thank you…”

Jin gave him a light punch on the arm. “I don’t know how the Avatar deals with this.”

Zuko looked at her, confused. “What does Aang have anything to do with this?”

She snorted. “From what your uncle was telling me, you were chasing him all over the world almost nonstop. You must never stop apologising to him if this is how you’re acting for simply not telling me your real name.”

Zuko smiled. “Fine, I’ll drop it. For now. I still want to make up for leaving you in a fallen Ba Sing Se though.”

Jin smiled at him. “You really want to do something for me?”

He nodded.

“Promise me something then.”

“Anything.”

She paused for a moment. “Promise me that you’ll visit.”

“Visit?” he said, tilting his head slightly. 

She nodded. “Yeah, visit. Your uncle said he was going back to Ba Sing Se to reopen his tea shop, and asked me if I’d want a job seeing as you can no longer fill your position. Please, promise me you’ll come from time to time. I know you’re most likely going to be busy, but it would be an honor to serve the Fire Lord himself some tea.”

Zuko felt a smile spread across his face. As he met Jin’s shining eyes and contagious smile, he knew there was only ever going to be one right answer to her request.

“Of course I’ll visit.”

She squealed in delight and pulled Zuko into a hug. He readily returned it, and gazed past the rail of the balcony to look at the sunset, which painted the surrounding landscape in beautiful golden light.

"I’ll visit,” he said in almost a whisper, not sure if he was talking to her or himself. “After all, I could never pass up a chance to visit the girl who made me the happiest fire bender in Ba Sing Se.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And... that's all for now. I hope you enjoyed reading it as much as I enjoyed writing it!


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